Rajahmundry: Expressing concern over possible disputes in water sharing in the event of a separate Telangana state was formed, a large number of farmers vowed even to sacrifice their lives to oppose
Rajahmundry: Expressing concern over possible disputes in water sharing in the event of a separate Telangana state was formed, a large number of farmers vowed even to sacrifice their lives to oppose any move to bifurcate the state at a farmers’ meet called ‘Grama Rythu Rana Bheri’ held at Garagaparru of Palakoderu mandal in West Godavari on Tuesday. A large number of farmers along with other supporters of Samaikyandhra took part in the meeting and expressed apprehensions by saying that as several projects were being taken up on Godavari river in Telangana area, the people in Seemandhra region would find it difficult even to get a drop of water to drink leave about taking up cultivation of crops. Addressing the farmers, water expert P.A. Ramakrishnam Raju said that it would take nearly 15 years to complete the execution of the Indira Sagar Polavaram project and added that by the time, the project was completed, its reservoir would be located in Telangana region. He predicted water wars in future. Farmers found fault with the Congress leadership for taking a decision to set up a separate Telangana state without taking into consideration the opinions of the people while they also flayed the BJP for favouring the bifurcation of the state without addressing the concerns of the people living in Seemandhra region. At Eluru, panchayat raj employees took out a bike rally. Lawyers organised a blood donation camp at district court to extend their support for Samaikyandhra. Dendulur MLA (TD) Chinthamaneni Prabhakar inaugurated the relay fast camp held at Fire Station centre. Speaking on the occasion, he said that when every section of the community were expressing their protest for the proposed bifurcation of the state, the Congress leadership remained mute spectator. He found fault with the Union ministers and MPs from Seemandhra region for failing to prevail upon the Congress leadership to influence it to give up its proposal on T. At Jangareddygudem, the supporters staged Jala Deeksha while getting drenched in the rain and formed a human chain in the village centre. Irrigation engineers plan to join stir from Oct. 8 Rajahmundry: Irrigation engineers will join the stir for Samaikyandhra from the midnight on October 7 and they will be abstaining from work except for emergency works like maintenance of projects and water regulation in districts in Seemandhra region. Over 1,300 engineers from the rank of junior engineer to superintending engineer are working in 13 irrigation circles or districts in Seemandhra region and out of them engineers from Rayalaseema districts including Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantapur have already joined the stir some 15 days ago while their counterparts from Srikakulam, Vizianagram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Krishna will join the stir from midnight on October 7. The strike notice was already served to the principal secretary, irrigation. Irrigation engineers from Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore and Chittoor districts are planning to join the stir from October 9 onwards. Irrigation sources maintain that though employees from other departments have already joined the stir to contribute their part for the ongoing stir, they are unable to do so for the reason that they are supposed to look after the regular maintenance of projects and also ensure supply of water for irrigation. As the farmers are getting ready to harvest the paddy crop in a month or so, any obstruction in supply of water to them through irrigation canals would affect the crop. Moreover, a majority section of the farmers are eagerly waiting to harvest the crop and and then to take part in the stir in full swing. The sources maintain that lack of co-ordination among irrigation officials from all 13 districts is creating confusion among themselves as some are willing to join the stir immediately while others intend to delay it and still some fear action from the government in terms of affecting their promotions and increments.
